The Good News That I Didn’t Want to Hear
1 Thessalonians 3:1-13[1]
10-24-04
Intro
I have entitled the message this morning: The Good News That I Didn’t Want to Hear.
I think we all agree that the gospel is good news. It’s good news that I am forgiven of my sin—that I have been born into the family—that I am destined for heaven not hell. All of that is very good news. And all of that is possible because of what Jesus has done for me.
The Bible is full of good news for the believer.
When we consider God’s plan for us and where it ultimately takes us it is absolutely, unquestionably good news. But I found in the Bible some aspects of that good news that I was hoping I wouldn’t find. One such verse is in our text. Look with me at 1Thessalonians 3:3 - Paul’s concern for these believers “that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.” What is Paul saying believers are appointed to experience? Trouble, distress, hard circumstances, suffering —that is basically the meaning of the Greek word “thlipsis”[2] which Paul uses in this verse—trials, affliction, trouble. No matter how you translate it, it is still not what I was hoping to find concerning God’s plan for my life.
I find it very easy to embrace passages like Phil 4:19 “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” That sounds good to me. Deut 28:8 "The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” Deut 28:6 “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.” That ‘ill preach. Those are truths in the Bible that I believe and I embrace.
But what am I going to do with a verse like 1Thessalonians 3:3? Well, there are several things I can do with it. I could just jump over it and try to find something more positive to think about. Have you ever thrown a rock across a pond or river and in such a way that it sort of skipped across the surface? That’s the way some people read the Bible. They hit a verse that suits them and kind of bounce over others until they get to another verse to land on. Another way I might deal with this verse is to just apply it to Bible days—that might solve my problem. “Trouble was something God walked those first century Christians through, bless their hearts, but I’m an American. This was for them but it doesn’t really apply to me today.” Except if I do that, then perhaps Deut 28 is just for Bible days and Phil 4:19 and all those other nice scriptures that I do like. There are ways to explain away or avoid certain subjects in the Bible. But if we will let the whole council of God speak into our lives we may find that it actually is profitable for us after all.
What is Paul saying about troubles in a Christian’s life?
1. He is saying don’t be surprised when it happens.
In verse 4 Paul says, “For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.” Poor Paul had not been taught the importance of keeping everything positive in his message. Didn’t he know that these people had not come to hear him talk about troubles and difficulties? Didn’t he know that the way the cults got their following was to promise the moon and avoid such subjects? No, Paul had not read the American books on how to think positive and grow rich. He had been too busy talking with God. And the revelation he was getting from God included some truths not very appealing to our carnality.
Even when these people were new converts Paul was warning them of the trouble they would experience.
Now in that context the trouble came as a result of their testimony of Christ. It probably came in the form of lost opportunities on the job or maybe even lost jobs. In that culture many of the trade unions that protected the good jobs had their own pagan deity that was to be worshipped.[3] There were probably financial consequences to their faith. Certainly there were social consequences. A Jewish family would often disown children who turned to the Christian faith. They would loose their inheritance. They would loose their family support system. The community at large was not Christian. In fact, the whole economy and political structure centered around the “divine” Caesar and his favor. Of course, we know from Acts that Paul and others were physically beaten and imprisoned because of the public stand for Christ.
On the surface our situation is very different. In Springfield, Missouri it is politically correct and socially acceptable to be involved in a Christian church. In some respects it is advantageous. But I would suggest that is more on the surface than at the heart of the matter. What happens to the Christian who won’t laugh at the boss’s dirty jokes or won’t cooperate with a breach of integrity that makes the company money? What happens to a teacher that crosses the line and leads a student to Christ? Some of you work for less money because you will not compromise your Christian values to make more money. Some of you have lost friends and family because you could not do the things they wanted you to do. It is far more subtle in our setting but I think Paul was right when he wrote in 2Timothy 3:12 “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
In 1 Thessalonians 2:18 and 3:5 Paul specifically mentions the devil’s involvement in all this. Satan resists the propagation of the gospel. Satan looks for opportune times of discouragement to tempt believers and try to bring them down. There are the cultural dynamics we deal with. But behind it all there is also a spiritual battle going on. So the good news is we are on the right side (in God). The rest of the news is there is a battle going on and like it or not there is no neutral ground. That’s why we are told in Ephesians 6 to put on the whole amour of God.
Don’t be surprised when you find yourself in a spiritual battle. Don’t be surprised when you have to endure some hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. There are plenty of scriptures warning us about these realities. The interesting thing is—when trouble comes we are nevertheless surprised. There is something in us that wants to shape our Christianity to fit our own plans and when that doesn’t happen we’re sometimes taken back by it.
Look with me at 1 Peter 4:12 “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;”. There is a tendency for us to think something really strange has happened when a fiery trial comes into our lives. There is a tendency to think it is somehow contrary to what God has said would happen. There may even be the temptation to think God has somehow let us down. But both Paul and Peter are saying that troubles and difficulties are not inconsistent with living for God. In other words, Jesus did not come into your life simply to make it easier and more enjoyable. He came to redeem you from eternal destruction and prepare you for eternal glory!
Follow with me as I read from 1 Peter 4:13-16. “13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.”
Notice how Peter distinguishes between two kinds of suffering. Verse 15 “ But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters”—suffering as a consequence of our own sin verses suffering as a consequence of our commitment to Christ. Is either happening in your life? Both happen in my life and have for quite some time. The way to deal with suffering that comes as a result of our commitment to Christ is to endure it joyfully—knowing that God will reward that kind of commitment. The way to deal with suffering that comes as a result of our own folly is to first repent (turn from it) then do the opposite (sow good seed that will in time yield a good harvest in your life)[4].
Heb 12:5-11 "5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:’My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens,And scourges every son whom He receives.’ 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
God has each and everyone of us in a disciplined training program. The instruction from Hebrews 12 is to not despise that program—don’t resent it—endure it and let God work a change in your heart and character. I have found that the more honest I can be with what is going on in my life the better off I am. When I am in a mode of justifying myself and blaming people or blaming God I don’t make very good progress. But, when I can look up to God and say, “OK, Lord, a lot of this is my own doing. I ask you to help me hear your correction so we do this once and only once.”
What else is Paul saying about trials in our lives?
2. He is saying watch out for the tempter in those situations.
Verse 5 “For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.”
Did you catch Paul’s play on words in that verse—“the tempter had tempted”. Satan is the tempter and quite simply that’s what he does; he tempts. He tempted Eve in the Garden. He tempted Jesus in the wilderness. And most of us have learned by now, he tempts us as well.
But a time of trial and testing has its own special issues of temptation. When did the devil tempt Jesus to turn stones to bread? He did it when Jesus was hungry. When did the devil tempt Judas to betray Jesus? He did it when all their hopes and plans seemed to be falling apart. Satan is an opportunist. He is a strategist. He has a short term plan for your destruction and he has a long term plan. But he looks for those moments when he can step in with his lies and suggestions—those times when you are tired or discouraged—those times when you have taken hit after hit—then he looks for an opportunity to deliver a knock out punch. That’s what Paul was worried about concerning these believers.
In his account of Jesus’ temptation Luke makes an interesting statement at the end of that event. Luke 4:13 “Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.” Praise God it is not all battle all the time. There are times when the enemy does not consider us vulnerable and does not waste his energy attacking. He lurks in the shadows waiting for an opportune time. You have seen lions stalk their prey on nature shows—the lion lies and waits—when he thinks the time is right he makes his play. He doesn’t attack the whole herd. He looks for a straggler on the edge of the herd.
Look with me at 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour”. Now why do Paul and Peter talk about these things? Are they trying to scare us? No, “God has not given us the spirit of fear but of love and of power and of a sound mind.” Peter is addressing this so these Christians will be watchful and so they will know what to do when it happens. Verses 9 & 10 “Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” Look how that passage begins with the devil’s objective—devour. But ends with God’s objective-- after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
Strength to resist—strength to prevail is rooted in knowing some things. Knowing that (1) others experience suffering as well. “Misery loves company.” Well you’ve got 5 or 6 billion people whose life is not perfect either. (2) God is a God of all grace. He has provided all things that pertain to life and godliness. He will empower you. He will sustain you. He will bring you through this. (3) He has called you to His eternal glory.
(4) He is perfecting, establishing, and settling you. He is preparing you for glory.
Never lose sight of where it all ends. The Bible continually points us to the eternal purposes of God. American religion is focused on what I can get right now. There is certainly a supply of God’s grace and goodness for the here and now. But if that is all you can see I’m afraid you will be vulnerable somewhere along your journey. Paul wrote in 1Cor. 15:19 “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all me the most pitiable.” There is an eternal glory our heavenly Father is preparing us for. He is conforming us to the image of His Son so that we will fit right into His family forever.
Don’t lose sight of the end of the matter. In Psalm 73 we find godly Asaph very disillusioned about his walk with God. It looked to him that instead of being the head he was the tail. It looked to him that the advantage went to the ungodly rather than the godly. Ps 73:2, “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no pangs in their death, But their strength is firm. 5 They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like other men. 6 Therefore pride serves as their necklace...”
Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever wondered why the ungodly seem to have it easier than you? Asaph is baffled by the troubles he is experiencing—even more so when he looks at wicked people who seem to have all the luck. Are you tracking with me on this? In Ps 73 he pours out his complaint to God—verse 12 “Behold, these are the ungodly, Who are always at ease; They increase in riches. 13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, And washed my hands in innocence. 14 For all day long I have been plagued, And chastened every morning.”
Then the key to the whole thing hits him—suddenly revelation comes and he understands what is going on—verse 17, “Then I understood their end. 18 Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. 19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.”
The difference lies at the end of the matter. One ends in terror and destruction. The other ends in glory and everlasting joy.
When you take the prospect of eternity out of Christianity and simply make it a philosophy for successful living in the here and now you have done significant violence to the Bible. There is a heaven and there is a hell and you and I will spend eternity in one or the other. That matters more than anything else. It matters more than how much fun you have. It matters more than how popular you are. It matters more than how much money you make. I get the feeling some people think we live godly lives because we’re too stupid to make the big bucks and live the so called good life. No, we just see beyond this very brief mortal life.
One other thing Paul is saying about trials in the Christian’s life.
(3) We are to pray for and encourage one another in such situations.
Notice how Paul addresses the whole group. He has no thought of them enduring these things without the support of one another. He puts himself in the boat with them and them in the boat with him. We are in this thing together. It is not every man for himself. Our commitment to the Lord is also a commitment to one another.
Not only has the materialism of our culture invaded the church but so has the individualism. It is hard for us to comprehend covenant commitment to one another because our society does not think that way at all. Our society is built upon stiff competition. There are economic benefits that have been reaped by structuring our economy around the selfishness inherent in fallen man. That’s why it works. It is based upon a broad reality. That’s why communism failed. It was based upon an idealistic concept out of touch with man’s fallen nature. But in the church—in the Body of Christ—we are to live by another set of principles. Instead of selfishness we are to live unselfishly. Instead of every man for himself it is one for all and all for one.
Paul commends these Christians at Thessalonica for the love they are exhibiting toward one another. They are encouraging each other and supporting one another. Paul sends Timothy to add to that encouragement. 1 Thess 3:1-2 “Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith.”
This whole chapter revolves around Paul’s concern for them. That concern caused him to sacrifice something dear. He needed Timothy to be with him at Athens. It was hard ground. It was difficult ministry. When Timothy left Paul felt very lonely—you can see that in some of the words he uses. He was stressed out but he sent Timothy anyway because he loved them and wanted them to be alright.
Paul wanted these people to be so established that they would not be shaken or moved by the trouble they were experiencing.[5] When people skip over truths like we have here in our text, when people think that Christianity is a relationship where God helps them do their thing there is very little stability. What we are talking about here this morning is essential to our standing faithfully during times of trial and testing.
Paul prayed for these people and asked them to pray for him. He prayed that[6] he himself might go help them in their faith. He prayed that the love they were expressing would abound more and more. He prayed that they would stand firm and be ready for the coming of the Lord. Paul didn’t just pray out of religious obligation. His prayer for them flowed out of his love for them. I think that is the secret to a sustained prayer life—if God can get our hearts and fill them with love toward hurting people, we will pray.
You and I may not be experiencing the same troubles that these Christians at Thessalonica were experiencing. But we deal with the same adversary. We are tempted by the same tempter. We need each others prayers and encouragement just like they did. And we need to keep our eye toward the coming of the Lord just like they did.
Let us pray.
Invitation
TEXT: 1 Thess 3
Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, 3 that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. 4 For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. 5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain. But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you -- 7 therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. 8 For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, 10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith? 11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. NKJV
Richard Tow
Grace Chapel Foursquare Church
Springfield, MO
www.gracechapelchurch.org
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[1] Text which was read earlier in the service is provided at the end of this manuscript. All quotes are from the New King James Version unless otherwise specified.
[2] United Bible Society Lexicon in Bible Works 6.
[3] W.A. Chriswell, Expository Sermons on Revelation Vol. 2 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978) p 96.
[4] Galatians 6:7-9
[5] A good illustration of the kind of endurance called for during times of trial can be found in the movie, Men of Honor, beginning at 01:08:10 and ending at 01:19:18.
[6] Arthur Pink, Gleanings From Paul: Studies in the Prayers of the Apostle (Chicago: Moody Press, 1974) p. 258-269 is an
